UPDATED: Chris Goutman to Direct YOUNG & THE RESTLESS

WE LOVE SOAPS TV has heard from numerous sources that Christopher Goutman, most recently executive producer of the canceled AS THE WORLD TURNS, and prior to that the executive producer of the canceled ANOTHER WORLD, is joining THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS directing team. While he is a very good and award-winning director, and Y&R could probably use some new blood based on recent episodes, this news can't been seen as good by many fans. The last few years on AS THE WORLD TURNS were an uneven mess.

The scariest part is soap fans have seen moves like this in the past many times, where someone comes on in a certain position, many times as a consultant, and before you know it, they've taken over the show. Despite its flaws, Y&R can still be great, so I'm praying this is someone not the way things are going for the number one daytime soap opera in America.

What do you think? Would you be happy to have Chris Goutman as part of the Y&R team in any capacity? If someone can confirm this information is not correct, I will happy to listen. We have not received confirmation from the Y&R team yet. If someone could tell me Goutman's amazing and talented wife Marcia McCabe was working on soaps again I wouldn't even care about anything else.

UPDATE: WE LOVE SOAPS TV has received confirmation that Goutman is definitely directing one episode of Y&R. Another source has said it will be two episodes but we can't confirm at this point. Soaps fans are still speculating this is all a means to an end with Goutman ending up as Co-EP of the show at some point. Up and coming AS THE WORLD TURNS director Habib Azar has been directing at Y&R since May and has now directed nine episodes.

18 comments:

Please! This guy proved that he was incompetent. He destroyed ATWT and now he's being allowed to show his face at Y&R. Why? He made over a million dollars a year as exec producer of ATWT. Can't he retire?

The man is creatively burnt out or apathetic. This is the kind of cronyism that is killing soaps.

I understand there were a lot of talented people working behind the scenes at ATWT and GL but why do the ones with real talent like Jill Lorie Hurst stay out of work and people like Dave Kreizman, Donna Swajeski, Jean Passanante and Chris Goutman get work? The industry is killing itself. Barbara Bloom must go.

I'm sure the corporate rationalization is that he's an award-winning director of daytime. And I'm sure they're hoping he will bring new energy and ideas to Y&R.Realistically, however, this is not a good sign for those of us who are Y&R fans.

"... and Y&R could probably use some new blood based on recent episodes ...."

Well, I guess I'd need some clarification as to what you mean by that claim as it relates to the art of direction and Y&R.

First, I don't see Goutman as "new blood" at all. "New blood" might be something like bringing in a director who's worked in some other type of television medium or has some independent film or short film experience on his/her resume, etc. IOW, something totally different and outside the box altogether. (And for the record, Y&R has recently given Habib Azar from ATWT some episodes to direct, so he's a younger guy of a diverse ethnicity who has something like that in his background, but who's also now done some soap work.) Things like that. IOW, New Blood = New Perspectives altogether.

And second, when it comes to direction, I think the experienced Y&R team of Sally McDonald, Mike Denney, Dean LaMont - people who were all with the show when Bill Bell was still in-charge - rates as one of the finest teams in the genre. The notion that Director Goutman has some talent that Y&R doesn't already have in-house doesn't really compute as far as I'm concerned.

FoxCrane, when I said "new blood" I was referring to anyone other than who has been directing a few of the odder episodes lately. Chris Goutman is a really terrific director. I think if he had stayed on that career path, he would still be revered as one of the best. My fear is that whether he directs two episodes of Y&R or a hundred, there's some diabolical plot going on at CBS to insert him in place of Rauch or give him some kind of power over the show. Hopefully that's not the case but there are so many self-destructive decisions being made behind the scenes, especially at the network levels, that's it's not to think otherwise.

But as for his directing, when he directed an ATWT episode, you knew it. He had a distinct style and it was usually pretty good.

I hope Habib gets a shot. He had a film out recently I believe and could be someone going places.

Perhaps Y&R is trying out various directors and there is no ulterior motives from Barbara Bloom or anyone else. We shall see.

But I do agree with your sentiment that new blood from outside day would be welcomed in quite a number of areas. At this point, what could it hurt?

The part of this story that is jaw-dropping is the fact that Mr. Goutman and his wife have been New Yorkers for more than 30 years now and this is a huge move on their part. It is definitely a sign where daytime is going.

The part of this story that is jaw-dropping is the fact that Mr. Goutman and his wife have been New Yorkers for more than 30 years now and this is a huge move on their part. It is definitely a sign where daytime is going.

If he's just directing a few shows can fly back and forth. They rotate directors so commuting would be easier for him I would imagine than some of the actors who have done it. Will be interesting to see where Y&R is in six months and who is in charge.

Are CBS & Sony nuts? This guy is a show killer. Both Another World and As The World Turns crashed and burned under him. He's petty and pathetic. Look how he treated Martha Byrne. Just for that, he should be black balled from the industry.

I think the fact that we have not heard a thing from either Y&R or Goutman himself regarding welovesoaps.com posting this story on their website means that the rumor does not have any legs to stand on. My suspicion is that MAB has been paying attention to the boards this past weekend and has learned that fans of Y&R are DEAD SET against Y&R every hiring him for anything. I also think that MAB does not want to rock the boat and infuriate fans as well as several cast members who have worked under Goutman and most likely have no desire to work under Goutman ever again.

If this is true, it is just another example of what soaps in general are doing wrong. Why is it that we see these same names come up every time there is conversation about hiring new directors, head writers, producers,etc? One would think that with Goutman's track record and the current state of our economy, it would hard for him to get any kind of a job (especially on another soap). It's just laziness and narrow-mindedness on the parts of those who are in charge of the remaining soap operas. May if the tried something new once and awhile, soaps wouldn't be in the state that they are in today.

I don't know if it matters anymore. The last few weeks make it clear that they don't understand their own show. For over 30 years I watched Jill stand her ground against Katherine. She wouldn't allow her to take away her life or children. Well Katherine won. She is the mother and grandmother of Jill's children and Jill is shoved out of her own life. It was heartbreaking to watch the residents of GC pass by Jill to pay their respects to Katherine when Chance "died". Billy didn't say a kind word to her, but he is at Katherine's side like a son through her ordeal.I don't know how much longer I can watch this, it's too sad.